First wash and peel the beets, then trim the stems to 1/2 inch in length, Be careful not to shorten them any further. Also avoid washing the beets, and use a paper towel to remove any dirt. Place the beets in a casserole dish and cover tightly with a sheet of aluminum foil, Cook for 60 to 90 minutes, checking doneness with a fork if desired.

Wait for the finished beets to cool before removing the stems and skins. You know the beets are done when you can easily remove the skins with just your fingers. However, if you are presenting the beets whole, you may opt to leave the tails intact. To dress simply, prepare beets in a skillet with the butter, sugar, salt and pepper. You can keep the beets whole, dice or slice them. For quick cream sauce, add the heavy cream along with the other ingredients in the skillet, reserving the lemon juice until the end.